National Center for Public
Policy Research Statement on Congressional Travel

The National Center for Public Policy Research sponsored and
paid for educational trips to Russia and to Great Britain in
1997 and 2000 that included, at our invitation, Congressman Tom
DeLay, Mrs. DeLay and Congressional staff members. We were then,
and remain, honored that they chose to accept our invitation.

The National Center has sponsored
trips by conservative leaders and allies to and from foreign
nations since our first year of operation, 1982, and to and from
Great Britain since 1985. This is consistent with our mission
as an educational foundation that promotes a strong national
defense while seeking to develop limited government solutions
to public policy problems and communicate them to the American
people.

Because our mission is not
focused on legislation, most of the trips we have sponsored have
not involved elected officials. For example, participants in
a June 1997 educational trip we conducted to Russia, a trip very
similar to the August 1997 trip Rep. DeLay participated in, included
journalists and public policy analysts from non-profit groups.

The trips Rep. DeLay participated
in had substantial public policy content. Reports that Rep. DeLay
met with the Russian Prime Minister in Moscow and with Lady Thatcher
in Britain (among other significant policy meetings) are correct.
The National Center for Public Policy Research was careful to
pay all the expenses associated with Congressman DeLay's trip.
Reports to the contrary are incorrect.

The National Center for Public
Policy Research is a non-profit institution organized under Section
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. We do not have any affiliated
501(c)(4) organizations or 527s.